How Much Do Holiday Lights Cost to Run?

Source: Duke Energy


December 10, 2010

On average, holiday lighting costs just pennies a day. However, elaborate displays that use large incandescent bulbs can add as much as $80 to a monthly power bill, depending on the number of bulbs and how long they are lit each day.
“That’s a huge difference, especially if you’re not expecting it,” said Gianna Manes, a senior vice president with Duke Energy, Charlotte, N.C. “There are so many energy efficient options available today that even the most elaborate display can fit into anyone’s budget.”
Six sets of 100 large incandescent bulbs plugged in six hours a day can add up to $80 to an energy bill. The same style bulb that uses a light-emitting diode (LED) rated at 65 watts would

increase the electric bill by only about $7 a month. Using mini lights will reduce the cost increase even further—to about $1 a month.

To help customers estimate their holiday lighting cost, Duke Energy has added a calculator to its website. Residential customers can visit www.duke-energy.com and select their state to access the calculator.

For customers who prefer to run manual calculations, the formula is:

Wattage divided by 1000 = kilowatts

Kilowatts X total hours of use per day = kilowatt-hours (kWh)

KWh X $0.10 (average residential costs per kWh) = total cost per day per string of lights

Total light sets X daily cost per set X 31 (days in December) = Average Cost

Example: Using one set of the large, 100 count mini LED bulbs = 40.8 watts:

40.8 watts divided by 1000 = 0.04 kilowatts

0.04 X 6 hours = 0.24 kilowatt hours

 

 

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